New Beginnings
by LoveAtFirstWronskiFeint
Summary: AU: Blaine transfers to Dalton after being bullied at his own school and meets Sam Evans.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So this is my first Glee fic and I hope you all like it. It's AU, obviously, but I've always been sort of interested in the idea of 'what if Blaine and Sam went to Dalton together.' So I present you with this first chapter of my story, New Beginnings.

Rated for some offensive language that made me cringe by just typing it.

Also, I do not own Glee because I am not _that _awesome.

* * *

Blaine Anderson nervously adjusted the buttons on his new jacket as he stood in front of the mirror of his dorm at Dalton Academy. He let his hands fall to his side and exhaled deeply. This was a new school with new students. Students who could possibly be friends. One thing was for sure; he didn't have to be scared here. This wasn't like his old school with the students who hated him and the faculty that didn't care. The Dean of Dalton had assured him that he'd be safe and that Dalton was a zero-tolerance policy school.

Zero-tolerance policy. He smiled to himself as he reminded himself of that. No bullying. Dalton wouldn't be like his old school. He thought back to his last meeting with his old principal, which like most meetings with the cold, uncaring man, was useless.

"The janitors are busy, but I'll be sure to have them take care of the problem as soon as they have time," he had said in a lazy, detached voice after an almost tearful Blaine had explained what had happened.

Blaine was almost 100% that the words 'fag' were still carved numerous times into his old locker, even as he stood alone in his new dorm with his new uniform that symbolized his new life at Dalton.

But Blaine had never been used to being with people who actually liked him, and when it came to making friends, well, he had no idea where to start. So when he found out about the Warblers, he decided then and there that he would audition. He loved singing. Music had been the one thing that got him out of bed every morning during those times when nothing else could make him smile. After a typical day of being bullied and taunted, he would go home and pick up his guitar and play for hours upon hours. His old school didn't have a Glee club or anything like that, so music had been something he did alone, and the idea of having other people around him who shared a love of singing and performing was sort of…exciting.

He had to audition first, of course. And he had the perfect song picked out too. After taking one last look at his appearance in the mirror, making sure that not a hair was out of place and that his jacket was on straight, he walked out of his dorm and made his way down to Warbler Hall, where the audition would take place.

"New student, Blaine Anderson, is here for his Warbler audition," the Asian council member, who had introduced himself as Wes, announced before gesturing to Blaine with his hand. "Whenever you're ready," he instructed, nodding slightly before taking his seat between the other council members, David and Thad.

Blaine could only nod in reply as he nervously licked at his lips. He pushed play on the small CD player and the music immediately had a calming effect on him. He had chosen a song that he felt would show him off as someone who was confident with who he was, but being the hopeless romantic that he was, the song also revolved around, well, love, of course.

"_Once I was a selfish fool  
who never understood.  
I never looked inside myself,_

_though on the outside, I looked good!_

_Then we met and you made me  
the man I am today.  
Baby, I'm in love with you  
no matter what you weigh  
'Cause..._

_Without love"_

He sang with confidence, and the happiness never left his eyes as he moved around the room, dancing along to the beat, flashing his winning smile at the other Warblers that filled the room.

"_Life is like the seasons with  
No summer.  
Without love  
Life is rock 'n' roll without  
A drummer_

_Baby, I'll be yours forever  
'Cause I never wanna be  
Without love.  
Baby, never set me free.  
No, I ain't lyin'.  
Never set me free, baby,  
No, no, no!_

_If I'm left without my baby doll  
I don't know what I'll do  
I've got to break out  
So that I can get my hands on you_

_Without love  
life is like a prom  
that won't invite us_

_Without love_

_life's getting my big break  
and laryngitis_

_Like a week that's only Mondays  
only ice cream, never sundaes,  
like a circle with no center,_

_like a door marked "do not enter!_

_Darling, I'll be yours forever  
'Cause I never wanna be..._

_Without love_

Oh baby  
Never set me free

_No, no, no_

_Never set me free_

_No, no, no  
No, I dont wanna live without_

_Love, love, love_

_Darling, you had best believe me,  
Never leave me  
without love!"_

The song ended as the music was replaced with the applause of the Warblers. Blaine stood there in the middle of the room, still smiling as he caught his breath. He watched as the three council members leaned in towards each other, whispering animatedly before turning back to face him, their expressions neutral.

"Blaine Anderson," he began, pausing before continuing and leaving Blaine and the other Warblers in anticipation. "Welcome to the Warblers."

And as Blaine was congratulated by the other Warblers with pats on the back and high fives, he felt like, in addition to being welcomed to the Warblers, he was being welcomed into a new life and a new beginning at Dalton Academy as well.

* * *

Hope you all liked part one, even if it was short. The song is 'Without Love' from Hairspray, and no, I do not own the song either. Please leave reviews so I know what you all think of it so far! I was a bit hesitant about writing this at first, but I've already got some ideas for where I'll be going with the plot, so I'm pretty excited. :)


	2. Chapter 2

Sam hurried down the spiral staircase, his dirty blonde bangs falling in his eyes as he buttoned up his jacket on the way down the stairs. He was going to be late for class which was the main reason for him not noticing the dark haired boy at the bottom of the staircase until he ran straight into him, nearly knocking him down in the process.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry. Didn't even see you there, er…Blaine, right?" He had recognized the new kid from his Warbler audition the other day. Of course, he had recognized him. Ever since he had first heard Blaine's voice and seen how alive the boy became when he sang, Sam hadn't been able to stop thinking about him.

Blaine straightened out his jacket before looking up to look at Sam. "Yeah, and you're…sorry, I actually don't kn-"

"Sam," he introduced as he held his hand out to shake Blaine's, forgetting all about the class that he had been running late for. "Sam Evans. Good job on your audition, by the way. That was…incredible," he complimented after pulling his hand away from Blaine's. "Seriously, the council has never made such a quick decision before. Usually it takes, like, a day or two at least."

Sam really needed to go to class. He was already late and he didn't have time to stand around and compliment the new kid. The new kid that he couldn't get off his mind for some strange reason, because Sam…Sam was straight. Sam didn't think about other boys and get butterflies in his stomach at the thought of singing with them during Warbler practice. It just didn't happen.

But it was happening now. He hadn't been able to take his eyes off of Blaine Anderson during the boy's entire audition, and he certainly couldn't take his eyes off him now.

"Really?" Blaine smiled to himself at the thought of being accepted so easily. Acceptance had never been something he had experienced at his old school, and he had no idea it could feel this good. "Well, thanks. I've always loved singing, but I've never really performed much before. Not in front of an audience, at least."

Even when he talked his voice sounded Angelic, Sam thought to himself before remembering that Blaine had stopped talking and it was his turn to say something coherent in response. "Well, get used to it. I already heard Wes and David talking about wanting you as the lead soloist for Regionals. You'd have to audition, of course, but I'm sure that won't be a problem for you, considering your first audition went so well." Sam smiled as he noticed Blaine's surprised, yet flattered expression, before glancing down at his watch with the slightest hint of concern. Professor Burdock was going to kill him for being late. "Wait, do you have class now?"

"I _should_ be in history with…Burdock," Blaine answered as he glanced down at his schedule. "But I'm sort of lost…and really late," he admitted with a slightly sheepish grin.

"Perfect! I'm heading there now. We could go together, and after I'll show you around the school. Give you the proper Dalton Academy tour." Sam grinned and gestured down the hallway with a small nod. "This way."

They walked down the hall together as they made their way to class, Sam occasionally pointing out certain classrooms that Blaine would need to know for later on in his schedule while Blaine continued fiddling with the buttons of his jacket.

"Relax," Sam chuckled. "I know we wear uniforms, but we're not all cyborgs, if that's what you think. I'll be honest with you, some of the guys around here are a bit more uptight than others, but for the most part…it's pretty chill. The classes are harder and the teachers are strict, but just…chill out, alright? You'll be fine. Besides, you're a Warbler. That's the equivalent to being on, like, the football team in a public school."

"So, the Warblers are popular," Blaine mused aloud, the slightest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Popular kids were liked. Popular kids didn't get slammed into walls or locked into closets. Offensive names weren't keyed into their cars on their 16th birthday, and teachers didn't avoid eye contact with them when they walked down the halls. Popular kids were liked and they had friends, and Blaine knew already that he could get used to this.

"Yeah," Sam grinned. "I mean, I've heard about other schools where the Glee club is sort of for the outcasts, but here we have impromptu concerts and everyone loves us. It's pretty awesome. Was the Glee club at your old school not like it is here?"

"My old school didn't have a Glee club, actually. I sort of kept to myself, so I guess you could still consider me an outcast."

Sam frowned slightly at that. Blaine didn't seem upset about what he had just admitted, but Sam didn't miss the small glint of sadness in the new kid's eyes as he talked about his old school. Before he could ask about it though, they were outside of their classroom and seeing as they were already late, Sam decided they'd have to finish their conversation later on.

"This is it," Sam gestured towards the door. "Burdock's usually a stickler for being on time to class, but since you're new I doubt he'll give you a hard time."

He lingered outside of the door a moment longer, rocking back on his heels as he looked over at Blaine, who was still messing with the buttons of his jacket.

"So, I'll see you after class for that tour, then?" Blaine asked with an infectious smile that Sam couldn't help but mirror.

"Duh. You're not getting rid of me that easily, Anderson," Sam chuckled as he leaned over and opened the door, holding it open for Blaine. He smiled as he followed his new friend into the room and took his usual seat near the back, while Blaine confidently made his way to the front where he handed his new schedule to the professor and formally introduced himself.

"Ah, Blaine Anderson," Mr. Burdock announced as he handed the schedule back to Blaine without really reading it over. "I heard all about your audition the other day. Congratulations," he praised with a broad smile. "Now take a seat. And don't expect to get off easy the next time you arrive to my class late."

Blaine thanked the professor and turned away to take his seat in the last empty desk near the front of the room, politely returning the welcoming smiles from the other students that he recognized as fellow Warblers from the other day at his audition.

Oh yes, he could definitely get used to this.

* * *

"So why did you transfer here…in the middle of second semester. If it's personal then forget I asked. I'm just curious, is all." Sam asked as he sat with Blaine at a small corner table of the student lounge. Class had been uneventful as usual, and after giving Blaine a quick tour of the campus Sam had offered to buy Blaine lunch. He knew plenty about Blaine and his singing, but other than that no one really knew anything about the new kid.

"No, it's no problem at all. I…didn't really fit in at my old school," Blaine answered truthfully. As he caught Sam's questioning look, he set his drink down and his face grew more serious. "I'm gay, and…at my old school that was sort of a problem. I tried to ignore the bullies, tried to pretend they didn't bother me…but in the end I couldn't take it anymore and I…came here," he explained, shrugging his shoulders as he smiled sadly at Sam. "Coward move; running away from my problems, I know, but…here I am."

"I don't think you're a coward," Sam blurted out, though his mind was still racing with new information about Blaine. Until Dalton, Sam never really had his own opinion about people who were different in any way, shape, or form, but the school and the students had taught him to be an accepting person, unlike his parents. The Evans had always been against the gay community, raising their only son to believe that people who loved others of the same gender were evil and didn't deserve to live. Sam had never really given much thought to it until his first year at Dalton, where he realized that his parents were wrong. He would never tell them that he had friends who were gay, of course. They wouldn't understand. They'd _never_ understand.

"I don't think you're a coward," he repeated, his voice softer as he looked over at Blaine. "If it had been me in your position, I…probably would have done the same thing." He awkwardly rested both his hands in his lap as he desperately searched his mind for something comforting or supportive to say. "Well…you can always count on me to have your back. I know we sort of just met, but the Warblers are sort of like…a big group of brothers. We'll always have each other's backs, so if you ever need someone to talk to or someone to, I don't know, go kick the asses of the guys who put you through hell, then I'm your man," he offered with what he hoped was a comforting smile.

Blaine looked up at Sam through his eyelashes, too speechless to do anything but mutter a sincere, "Thank you." He had just told someone he barely knew that he was gay, and they had accepted him. Sam hadn't even acknowledged the fact that Blaine had just said he was gay. He just proceeded to treat him like a normal person. "That…that means a lot that you would say that. Thank you…Sam." He lifted his head to smile up at his fellow Warbler.

"I mean every word of it," Sam assured him, smiling warmly as he rested his hand on Blaine's shoulder, squeezing slightly before pulling back. "You don't deserve what happened to you at your old school. No one does."

The boys shared one last smile before they fell silent, simply enjoying each other's company as they finished their lunch.

When they boy finished, Blaine dapperly wiped his hands off on his napkin before looking up at Sam, still smiling as he stood up from the table. "Thanks for everything, Sam, but I should probably get back to my dorm. You're welcome to join me though. I've never really done a cappella before, so if you wanted to give me some tips…" He trailed off, his smile hopeful as he buried his hands in his pockets.

"Sure," Sam answered immediately as he stood up with Blaine. "I'd like that." He picked his bag up off the ground before walking back to the dorms with Blaine, the smile not fading from either of their faces as they made their way to Blaine's dorm to practice.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks for everyone who's been reading this so far! Sorry I haven't been updating as regularly as I hoped. It took me forever to pick a song for Sam to sing, but it's finally done! Hope you like this chapter!

* * *

"I think this would be a great opportunity to take my shirt off," Sam said in his best Matthew Mcconaughey impression.

Blaine furrowed his brow and arched an eyebrow in confusion as he looked over at Sam, who was sitting next to him in the bed.

_"_My Matthew Mcconaughey impression!" Sam clarified with a wide grin, leaning his back up against the wall as he folded his arms across his chest. They had gotten about thirty minutes of actual practicing done before the conversation turned to them learning more about each other and making the other laugh. "Obi Wan never told you what happened to your father," he continued in a much deeper voice, his face completely serious while Blaine burst out laughing.

"You're kidding. You do impressions?" he asked through his amused laughter. "Did not see that coming," he admitted, grinning to himself as he cast a quick side-glance over at Sam, forcing himself to tear his gaze away as soon as he realized he was staring.

"Oh, don't act like you're not impressed," Sam laughed as Blaine looked away, playfully nudging him in the arm. "My impressions are _awesome_! Admit it!"

Blaine chuckled softly and playfully rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. Show me a Harry Potter impression, then I'll be impressed," he challenged jokingly, grinning widely as he looked back at Sam.

Sam fell silent and his smile faded slightly. He couldn't turn down a challenge, but as much as he loved Harry Potter, he had never really tried doing any impressions from the series. "Now I'm going to bed, before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed, or worse, expelled," he attempted in his best British accent, his face hopeful as he waited for Blaine's reaction.

"Impressive," Blaine commented with a light golf clap, smiling approvingly before he let out another amused chuckle. "You do impressions, you like Harry Potter, your favorite snack is Cool Ranch Doritos, and you're obsessed with Avatar. Although I'm not the _biggest_ fan of the Dancing with Smurfs movie, I think we're going to get along just fine, Sam Evans," he decided, a broad grin still on his face. _Don't fall for him, Blaine. Don't do it, no matter how adorable is goofy smile is. The last thing you need is to have a crush on a straight guy after knowing him for a few hours._

But Blaine couldn't deny that he had been smitten with Sam since he first saw the boy's smile when he ran into him those few hours ago on the staircase. He couldn't lie to himself, he decided, but he could at least ignore his feelings. Crushes never lasted long anyway. And he really did like Sam, so he didn't want to risk making their friendship awkward by admitting that he found him attractive…and funny, and nice, and…Yeah, Sam didn't need to know about any of that.

"I don't know," Sam mused out loud, stroking at his chin as he glanced over at Blaine. "I mean, I know I'm pretty awesome with my impressions and my incredible good looks, but what do you have to offer as a friend, hm?" he questioned jokingly, his lips twitching into a slight smirk before he had to duck to avoid being hit with one of Blaine's pillows.

"What happened to the Sam who told me my audition was 'incredible'?" Blaine asked after pulling the pillow back and tossing it to the side.

"He's out being productive since we barely got any work. I thought you invited me to your dorm to practice," he joked as he poked Blaine in the stomach, a mischievous smirk spreading across his face as Blaine shied away from the touch. Blaine Anderson…was extremely ticklish. He'd have to keep that in mind for later on, he thought to himself with a sly grin. "This was your plan all along, wasn't it? Lure me up to your dorm and distract me from getting any work done? And here I thought I could trust you," he sighed, shaking his head in mock dismay.

Blaine held his arms out as if to say 'you caught me.' "And here I was thinking I was being devious. Forgive me?" he pleaded, playing along with the façade as he looked up at Sam with his best attempt at the puppy dog eyes.

Sam laughed and sat up, running his fingers through his hair as he found himself unable to keep the smile off his face. "I suppose I could, only because you're a talented singer, of course."

"Oh, of course," Blaine agreed, nodding seriously before his grin mirrored Sam's. "Maybe we should get some more practicing done," he sighed, not realizing that after he patted the other boy's knee that he had left his hand there. "I'd like to at least have the slightest idea of what I'm doing during my first practice with the rest of the Warblers." He glanced down at his hand and casually pulled it away, instead resting it in his own lap. He really didn't need a straight guy freaking out at him because he thought he was 'making a move.'

But Sam didn't mind. While his parents were about as homophobic as it got, Sam was extremely accepted and didn't see gay people any differently. Sure, the weird tingly feeling he got from having Blaine's hand on his leg fazed him a bit, but now Blaine's hand was gone and that was that. "Nah. I think you'll do fine. Firstly, you're a fast learner. You're picking up the main points of a cappella a lot faster than I did. And secondly, it's not like you'll need it. Like I said, the council loves you and they make all the major decisions. It won't be long before they're making you lead," he chuckled. "Then you won't have to worry about singing a cappella in the background."

Blaine furrowed his brow as he took in everything Sam was saying. As much as he wanted to smile and accept the compliment, he couldn't help but be concerned with one thing. "Wouldn't the other members get upset if that happened? I mean, I love singing and all, and of course I'd consider it an honor if the council really did have me sing lead, but…wouldn't everyone else be jealous?"

Sam shrugged. "No, not really. We perform as a team, and the council makes all the major decisions depending on what they think would help us work better together as a group. We've had a few different leads this year, but your voice…it's just what we've been looking for. You just have that…something about you, you know?"

Blaine nodded to show his understanding, though part of him still felt it seemed somewhat unfair. He didn't need people hating him for being the lead, but…if that was really how things worked at Dalton then he sort of liked the idea. After being pushed around, and bullied, and threatened, singing lead for a Glee club that was actually liked was more than inviting. "Right, well I don't want to get too cocky, so why don't you stop bringing that up," he laughed lightly. "You know, other than the typical doo-wapping, I haven't actually heard _you_ sing yet," he hinted suggestively, hoping to urge the blonde to sing for him.

"Me? Sing? I'm…not that great. There's a reason I don't sing lead," Sam shrugged, though he could tell immediately that Blaine wasn't buying it.

"Sure, and that's why you're on the Warblers? I'm not buying it, Sam," he teased with a shoulder nudge. "If you're singing is half as good as your doo-wapping then I want to hear it."

Sam pursed his lips as he considered singing for Blaine. It couldn't hurt. And Blaine seemed like one of the least judgmental people, so it's not like he needed to worry about that. "Fine. One song. _One_." He smiled at Blaine before turning his head and glancing over at the guitar in the corner of the room. "Mind if I use that?" he asked, waiting until Blaine shook his head in reply before he walked over and adjusted the strap so that it fit him better. "So, guess I'll just…sing what's at the top of my head, then," he decided with a crooked smile, strumming a few times at the chords before he started on the melody that Blaine recognized immediately.

"_Well you done done me and you bet I felt it.__  
__I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted.__  
__I fell right through the cracks, now I'm trying to get back."_

Blaine smiled at the song choice. He loved Jason Mraz and it suited Sam's voice perfectly, though he was finding it difficult to just enjoy the song without pretending the song was for him. Of all the songs to choose from, the attractive straight guy just had to go and pick one about love.

_"__Before the cool done run out I'll be giving it my bestest,__  
__and nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention.__  
__I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some._

_But I won't hesitate no more, no more.__  
__It cannot wait, I'm yours."_

If Blaine hadn't wanted to seem obvious, he would have rolled his eyes at himself. No, Sam was not his. Sam picked a song that he knew on the guitar and thought would show off his voice. He was singing _for _Blaine, not _to_ him, and Blaine was finding it difficult to keep that in mind, especially with the way Sam kept smiling at him as he sang.

_"__Well open up your mind and see like me,__  
__open up your plans and then you're free,__  
__look into your heart and you'll find love love love love._

_Listen to the music of the moment people, dance and sing.__  
__We're just one big family,__  
__and it's our God-forsaken right to be loved loved loved loved loved_

_So I won't hesitate no more, no more.__  
__It cannot wait, I'm sure.__  
__There's no need to complicate, our time is short.__  
__This is our fate, I'm yours."_

_D-d-do do you, but do you, d-d-do.__  
__But do you want to come on,__  
__scooch on over closer dear__  
__and I will nibble your ear."_

The thought of Sam nibbling at his ear was not what Blaine needed on his mind right now, but he continued smiling because as much as these thoughts about his straight friend were bothering him, he had to admit that Sam had quite the voice.

_"__I've been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror,__  
__and bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer,__  
__but my breath fogged up the glass,__  
__and so I drew a new face and I laughed._

_I guess what I be saying is there ain't no better reason__  
__to rid yourself of vanities and just go with the seasons.__  
__It's what we aim to do, our name is our virtue._

_But I won't hesitate no more, no more.__  
__It cannot wait, I'm yours._

_Open up your mind and see like me,__  
__open up your plans and man you're free,__  
__look into your heart and you'll find that the sky is yours._

_So please don't, please don't, please don't,__  
__there's no need to complicate__  
__'Cause our time is short.__  
__This is, this is, this is our fate,__  
__I'm yours."_

Blaine grinned and applauded as soon as the song ended, his smile still clear on his face even after Sam set the guitar back down in the corner of the room. But the smile slowly faded when Sam continued standing, rather than taking his seat on the bed again.

"That was awesome, Sam. What were you talking about when you said you couldn't sing?" Blaine asked, hoping that he hadn't done something wrong during Sam's performance.

Sam smiled slightly, then hesitantly sat down next to Blaine again. He had never felt so alive while singing before, and the fact that singing for Blaine had made him felt that way sort of worried him. "Thanks." He pushed those thoughts out of his mind. Blaine was awesome, and yes, he might have been gay but that didn't mean anything. Sam was straight and could totally deal with having gay friends. Just because he couldn't keep the smile off his face while singing a song about love to—No, _for_ Blaine. He was singing _for _Blaine, he reminded himself. And there was absolutely nothing wrong with that… right? Right. "I'm glad you liked it. I…don't normally sing in front of people—Other than for the Warblers but that's…Well, it's not exactly singing, is it? Just doo-wapping," he chuckled, referring back to Blaine's previous joke about singing with the Warblers. "Anyway, I should probably get going. Lot's of homework." He glanced over at Blaine and smiled again, feeling a bit more relaxed. There was something about his new friend that made him feel…safe…and calm.

Blaine's smiled reappeared as he noticed Sam grow less tense. Maybe he had just been paranoid when he thought Sam looked…off after that performance. "Alright then. Thanks again…for showing me around, for the small amount of practice we did. For everything. I've never really had a lot of friends before," he admitted. "Or any, really. Thank you for showing me that…it really does get better. I know it probably isn't a huge deal for you to consider me a friend, but…it means a lot to me."

Sam felt a slight tug at his heart at Blaine's confession. He had no idea what it was like to be in the situation Blaine had been in at his old school, but he decided right then and there that he would do everything he could to make sure Blaine always felt welcomed and knew that he mattered. "It's no problem, Blaine," he reassured his friend, resting a hand on the boy's shoulder for a short moment before he stood up off the bed. "You're an awesome guy, and I promise you things are going to be better for you here. I'm glad we met today. I'll see you tomorrow before practice, alright? We can meet up after classes."

Blaine smiled softly and nodded his head, before watching as Sam let himself out of the dorm. He couldn't deny his crush on the blonde boy, but he'd get over it. And at the moment, it didn't bother him much. Not when he was finally at a school where he fit in for the first time in his life.

Sam, on the other hand, hurried back to his own dorm where he collapsed on his bed, hoping that by tomorrow he wouldn't feel so confused about how he really felt about Blaine Anderson.

* * *

A/N: The song used is I'm Yours by Jason Mraz. I already have an idea for the next chapter, so hopefully it won't be long before that's up!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Sorry again for the wait! So, so sorry! I seriously feel really bad about taking so long. I had about a million assignments and papers to work on these past few weeks and I haven't had much to work on this. Hope this chapter was worth the wait though! Enjoy! Thank you for all the reviews so far!

* * *

Blaine walked out of his dorm, his satchel strap swung neatly over his shoulder as he made his way down the hall. He already knew his way around the school, thanks to Sam, so he didn't need to worry about leaving 20 minutes early just to get to class on time.

He jumped as he felt a firm hand on his shoulder, but instantly relaxed as soon as he heard a friendly, familiar voice. He was still getting used to the fact that he was safe here. He didn't need to keep looking over his shoulder, or worry about hesitating before turning the corner anymore.

"Blaine!" Wes greeted with an enthusiastic smile as he removed his hand from Blaine's shoulder and continued walking down the hall with Blaine, while David stayed on the opposite side of Blaine. "We've been meaning to talk to you soon. How're you settling in?"

"Oh, hey guys. Wes. David," he greeted them both, smiling as he remembered what Sam had told him. The Warblers were popular. The Warblers liked his voice. He was still adjusting to Dalton, but so far he really liked the whole not being hated for who he was aspect of it. "I'm doing fine. Sam showed me around yesterday, and he sort of helped me learn the ropes of singing a capella, so hopefully I'm not too hopeless at practice today."

"That's precisely what David and I wanted to talk to you about, actually."

"The Warblers pride ourselves in being unique," David began to explain, "in the sense that we're one of the few a capella choirs in Ohio."

"Unfortunately, we didn't qualify for Regionals or Nationals this year, so the competition season is over for us," Wes added in while Blaine continued looking back and forth between the two.

"As council members, Wes and I are in charge of choosing the set list and who gets the solos during performances."

"And after hearing your audition for the Warblers, we've decided that your voice and attitude is exactly what the Warblers need. We know you're new here, Blaine, and that Dalton Academy is a big change from a public school, but we'd really appreciate it if you considered our proposition," Wes informed.

"We're done with competing for the year," David added. "But we still perform in nursing homes and have the occasional impromptu performance in the senior commons. And there's more than enough time to prepare you for next year's sectionals."

"It's a big decision, we know," Wes said as he came to a stop outside of Blaine's classroom, resting a firm hand on the boy's shoulder as he smiled at him. "Don't think you have to make it right away. If you don't think singing lead for the Warblers is for you, then that's fine too. But we'd like you to consider it."

"See you at practice, Blaine. Have fun in class," David finished with smile and a light pat on Blaine's back before the two boys turned and walked down the hall, leaving Blaine speechless, yet grinning elatedly.

English was Blaine's third class of the day. The final class he had to sit through before he got to go to his first Warbler practice, so of course it went by excruciatingly slowly. He knew that the classes at Dalton were going to be more challenging, and that he really should have been paying attention to the lecture rather than doodling music notes and lyrics from 'I'm Yours' all over his notebook.

It wasn't that he didn't like English, he did. It was one of his better subjects at his old school. He was just finding it hard to concentrate at the moment, seeing as he knew he'd be meeting Sam soon so they could hang out before Warbler practice. He knew that Sam was just a friend, and that he couldn't expect anything else. Besides, Sam was straight.

Well, actually Blaine didn't know that, come to think of it. Sam had never really mentioned it. But either way, Blaine really needed to stop thinking about it. He had just met the guy, after all.

Still, it was nice having a friend who actually cared about him and didn't judge him for who he was, and he was grateful for that. The fact that Sam was also funny and knew how to make him laugh, had an amazing voice, was extremely kind and friendly, and easy on the eyes…those were all just nice bonuses.

He glanced up at the clock, smiling as he realized he only had a few minutes left before he could leave to meet Sam near the staircase where they had met yesterday.

As soon as the bell rang, Blaine was out of his seat and out the door. He stuck his notebook into his bag on his way out, but before he could make it more than a few steps down the hall, he felt someone's hand on his shoulder…again. Wow, the people of Dalton really liked sneaking up on him.

"Sam," Blaine greeted enthusiastically as he turned around to face the blonde he had spent the last 55 minutes thinking about. "I thought we were meeting at the-"

"Staircase, I know," Sam finished for him. "I got out of class a few minutes early and figured I'd just meet you here. Hope that's okay," he added hesitantly, though he was still smiling as he tilted his head to the side and looked over at Blaine.

"No, that's totally cool. You're saving me the long walk to the staircase," Blaine replied jokingly, before realizing they were sort of in the way of people leaving and entering the classroom, and started walking down the hall with Sam.

"Lazy," Sam mumbled under his breath, though he made sure to be loud enough so Blaine could hear. He smiled and looked over at Blaine, just in time to avoid being smacked in the arm by the shorter boy.

"At least I didn't ditch class five minutes early just to meet up with the new kid," Blaine quipped with a cheeky grin before turning away from Sam and walking down the hall towards the café where they had eaten after they first met, smiling to himself as he heard Sam's quickening feet catch up to him.

"Ha. Ha. You're hilarious." Sam shook his head and looked down at the shiny tile floor as they walked, but Blaine could tell that he was smiling as well.

"So, you were right about the council members wanting me to sing lead," Blaine mentioned after a few moments of them walking along in a comfortable silence. He still couldn't believe that after only being at Dalton for a few days, he had already been singled out as talented, rather than a freak. "Any other predictions you have for me?" he jokingly asked, glancing over at Sam.

"You're going to fail English," Sam deadpanned.

"Ah. I'm going to fail my best subject, am I? I've lost faith in your psychic abilities, Mr. Evans."

Sam cast a quick side glance at Blaine, smiling fondly before tearing his gaze away. "Well then, looks like I'll be buying you lunch to make up for it," he decided with what Blaine thought was an adorably crooked grin.

But Blaine wasn't sure how to respond to Sam's offer. Sure, he probably only meant it in a friendly way, but Blaine couldn't help but be confused by the gesture. How was he supposed to keep in mind that this was a platonic relationship when Sam kept making him laugh and offering to buy him lunch?

"May I remind you that you bought lunch yesterday?" he countered, despite his confusion. "It's my turn now, so I'm paying whether you like it or not."

Sam quirked an eyebrow, but before he could open his mouth to protest, Blaine cut him off by holding up one hand as he reached into his pocket for his wallet with the other. "It's the least I can do after you gave me the welcome-to-Dalton tour yesterday. Now order something," he insisted, holding out an arm to wave Sam ahead of him in line.

Sam's eyes lingered on Blaine's face for a few seconds longer, and he was still smiling to himself as he turned away to order a salad with no dressing. After he ordered, he moved off to the side, his hands in his pockets as he watched Blaine order his lunch.

It wasn't until they were both seated at the same table as they had sat at yesterday that Blaine noticed what Sam had ordered.

"Easy there, Thumper," Blaine commented as he held his sandwich that he had yet to eat in his hands. "You sure that's all you want to eat?"

Sam glanced down at his small lunch, his fork resting loosely between his fingers as he looked back up at Blaine. "I…yeah. I mean, I'm not even really that hungry, to be honest." He fiddled with his fork before adding, "I'm just…sort of paranoid about what I eat. Nothing too unhealthy, you know?"

Blaine arched an eyebrow, his sandwich still in his hands as he looked curiously at Sam. "Unhealthy…Sam, you're eating rabbit food," he chuckled, before taking a small bite of his sandwich. "Please tell me you don't always eat like this," he continued after he swallowed his first bite, the smallest hint of concern in his voice. Now that he thought of it, Sam didn't eat much yesterday either, but he really didn't know him well enough to judge.

"Hey, I treat myself to Cool Ranch Doritos every now and then," Sam admitted with a small, slightly forced laugh before he dug into his salad. "So, how are you liking Dalton so far?" he asked, hoping to change the subject completely.

"It's…pretty awesome," Blaine answered, smiling at how well things had been going so far. "The teachers are cool, the students are all friendly. I can already tell the workload is going to be a lot more intense than my old school, but it's worth it. Hey, question." He furrowed his brow slightly and set down his nearly finished sandwich, as he tried to come up with the best way to phrase his question. "About the whole singing lead thing…It's not that I'm not honored, I am. I definitely am. It's just…won't the other Warblers be upset? I'm the new kid. I get to this school and already they're asking me to sing lead for them. Doesn't…exactly seem fair," he shrugged.

"Dude, don't worry about it. The council always makes all the decisions. We had an awesome lead singer last year, but he graduated and we really didn't think we'd ever be able to replace him…until you came along, that is," he added quickly, grinning over at Blaine. "You're awesome. No need to pretend like you aren't. Trust me; the other guys are cool with the idea. You saw how they reacted to your audition. They loved it." He took another bite of his salad, glancing up again as he realized Blaine remained quiet. "Hey…" He reached out and tapped lightly on the back of Blaine's hand that he had rested on top of the table, waiting for Blaine to look up and make eye contact with him before continuing. "No one's out to get you here. We work as a team. I wasn't joking when I said we're all like brothers. If the council thinks you should sing, then everyone else is going to support their decision…and they're going to support you. I promise."

Blaine smiled over at Sam, only a small smile at first but it grew as he really let Sam's words sink in. But then he noticed that Sam's hand was still lingering over his own, and Blaine quickly pulled his hand back to finish his lunch, uncomfortable with the way Sam's touch gave him butterflies. Which was good for Sam, because Blaine was so busy on pretending that he didn't feel anything just then that he didn't notice Sam's flushed face as the blonde realized what he'd been doing.

"So…" Sam pulled his hand back, trying to make it seem casual although he knew that Blaine already noticed. Sam hated awkward silences, and although the silent moments he had with Blaine were never really awkward at all, he didn't want to risk it so he blurted out the first thing that popped into his head, "Did you have a boyfriend back at your old school?"

Sam wanted to slam his head into the table the second the words left his mouth._ Way to make things even more awkward, _he silently scolded himself. What on earth had possessed him to ask that of all questions?

But what confused him even more, was the way his stomach seemed to do a flip as Blaine answered.

"Er…no…" Blaine looked down at his hands, which were now folded in his lap. He had to admit, it was weird of Sam to ask, but he didn't really mind answering. He liked Sam. Sam was his friend and he could be honest with him. "No, I didn't. I didn't have any friends at my old school," he reminded Sam. "And if there were other gay students back there, they were smart enough to know not to come out like I did. They must have saw how I was treated…and thought it'd be better to stay in the closet," he shrugged, bringing his gaze up to lock eyes with Sam. "There…was this other guy, I guess," he added after a few moments of silence. "Aaron. He…he was gay, but he only came out to me," Blaine admitted. "He made me promise not to tell anyone, because he'd seen what happened to me for being gay. Anyway, he came to me and I helped him talk things out. He never talked to me again after that. He ignored me in school, because…any guy who talked to me _had_ to be my boyfriend," he explained, rolling his eyes at the thought of how everyone at his old school had treated him. "They made it so impossible for me to make one friend. _One_ friend; that was all I wanted."

Blaine stopped as he realized just how much he had said. Sam had asked if he had a boyfriend, he didn't ask for his life story. "Sorry, sometimes I don't realize when I'm talking too much, so feel free to shut me up in the future."

Sam just looked at Blaine, his own eyes full of sadness. He glanced down at his nearly finished salad, nudging at the green lettuce leaves with his fork. "You shouldn't be sorry. I'm not saying you have to talk about this stuff if you don't wanna, but…I don't mind listening if you ever need someone to talk to. Sometimes it helps to talk about that sort of stuff. Don't think you have to keep it all bottled up."

He took Blaine's silence as a good thing, because he was pretty sure that he saw the smallest smile tugging at the corners of Blaine's lips. He stood up to dispose of the plates and leftover food from both their lunches. When he walked back to the table, he rested a comforting hand on Blaine's shoulder.

"Besides, you got your one friend. You have me, don't forget. And the other Warblers too, once you get to know them."

"True," Blaine smiled as he grabbed his bag and stood up to walk out of the café with Sam so they could head off to Warbler practice together. He reached out to grab Sam's arm, stopping him before they went any further. "Sam, I know…I said this yesterday, but thanks. You don't have to do everything you've done so far, and…it means a lot to me that you are. We just met and you've already been a better friend than I could ever ask for." He realized that his hand was still on Sam's arm, and quickly lowered it, flashing one last grateful smile at Sam before they both started walking again.

Sam smiled and looked down at the floor as they walked, hesitating a bit before asking, "Hey, do you want to hang out after practice? We could go to your dorm again…or mine. Doesn't matter."

"Actually, there's…a college football game on later so I was sort of planning on watching that but you're free to join me, of course."

"You like sports?" Sam asked, before realizing that he was putting Blaine into a stereotype and that he probably just offended him. Well, wonderful. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean…I just didn't know you were into tha—"

"It's fine," Blaine laughed. "I…actually get that reaction quite a bit, but yes, I do like sports. So…is that a yes on you joining me or…"

"Oh! Yeah, I'd like that," Sam agreed, smiling as he held the door to Warbler Hall open for Blaine.

Blaine was about to say something back to Sam, but he fell silent as he realized…the entire room was quiet. That sort of quiet that you feel whenever you walk into a room full of people that were just talking about you.

"Blaine," Wes greeted as he stood up from his usual seat at the council table on the far side of the room. "Come in, we were just talking about you."

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A bit of a cliffhanger, I know! Please don't hate me! I'll try to have an update within a week so I don't leave you all hanging too long!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Here it is! The next update! There are no words to describe how bad I feel for taking so freaking long to get motivated to write again, so I'm just going to stay quiet now and hope you enjoy this next part.

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"_Blaine," Wes greeted as he stood up from his usual seat at the council table on the far side of the room. "Come in, we were just talking about you."_

"Oh," Blaine replied, somewhat speechless and surprised to have all the attention on him again. Wes looked friendly enough, but Blaine couldn't help but wonder if he had done something already to get himself in trouble with the Warblers. "Well, I-"

"Sit," David insisted as he gestured towards the two open seats on one of the couches in the room.

Blaine turned his head to notice that Sam had never left his side and was still standing next to him. He smiled gratefully at the blonde, before they both moved over to the couch and sat down. Blaine, for once, wasn't fiddling with his uniform. He had taken notice of how calm and gentlemanlike the other students at Dalton were, and it was his new goal to do the same.

"Blaine," Wes began without an awkwardly long pause or hesitation. "I know David and I talked to you before the meeting about singing lead for the Warblers, and I understand that I told you that there's no rush when it comes to making your decision. However, the council and I have decided that it might be better if you got a taste of what singing lead for the Warblers feels like, which is why we're suggesting that you lead us in a performance for the fellow students of Dalton next week in the senior commons."

Blaine's jaw dropped slightly as he let the news sink in. Singing in front of a new school would certainly be one way to get the new kid noticed. After spending the last year and a half trying to be discreet and go unnoticed, Blaine wasn't sure if this would be such an easy decision. He loved performing, but although the school had a Zero Tolerance policy he still found it hard to believe that people here were genuinely going to like him.

Then he glanced over at Sam, and the blonde was smiling at him, clearly proud of Blaine's opportunity to sing lead for the Warblers, and Blaine found it a lot harder to say no. Sam had only known him for a couple days and he already proved to be a greater friend than Blaine had ever had before.

With a newfound confidence in his attitude, Blaine turned back to Wes and the rest of the council. He noticed that the rest of the Warblers were looking at him. Not in an intimidating way, but in a way that…well, to put it bluntly they just looked _happy_ for him. Maybe he should stand up? Standing up seemed like a good idea. Wes was standing up. He stood up off the couch and turned to face the council.

"First off, I'd just like to say that I truly am honored to be offered something like this. I know I'm still the new kid, and I'm still trying to figure out how things work around here. I never had a Glee club at my old school, so…" He paused for a moment. He didn't want to tell all the Warblers his sad stories. He had already told Sam plenty anyway. He came here to start over. He wasn't looking for pity and he didn't need everyone feeling sympathetic for him. Dalton had been his chance at a do-over. A way to get the high school experience that he had always wanted, and the one he felt every teenager deserved.

"So I've never really had a chance to perform in a group before," he finally continued. "I haven't had a chance to hear the rest of you sing yet, but I don't doubt that you all have terrific voices." So far all the Warblers were still smiling, and if Blaine wasn't mistaken they all looked genuinely interested in what he had to say. "And…if you all really think that I have what it takes to lead the Warblers, whether it be for a song for our fellow classmates or a number for competition, well, I don't know how I can say no to that."

Sounds of approval came from the other Warblers, and Wes' smile broadened as he looked at Blaine. "Excellent. As enjoyable as the Hairspray number for your audition was, the Warblers are going to be trying something new next competition season. We're considering taking Top 40 songs and putting our own acapella twist on them, and we think you have just the stage presence that'll get us the attention we need to make it to Nationals. Now, as much as I'm sure you'll be able to handle a solo lead just fine, the other council members and I thought it might be interesting to have you sing a duet with our previous lead singer. Sort of like an initiation for you taking over Sam's role."

Blaine's eyes clouded with confusion as soon as Wes stopped talking, and he turned to glance at Sam, but the blonde was still looking at Wes, his lips parted in shock showing that he was clearly surprised too. Blaine furrowed his brow. Why in the world would Sam try and keep singing lead for the Warblers a secret?

"…Thinking that maybe you two could sing it for the performance next week."

Blaine quickly turned his attention back to Wes. He'd just ask Sam about everything else later. He flushed slightly as he realized he had missed the first part of what the council member had said. And to think he had been making a good impression so far. "I'm sorry," he apologized, doing his best to sound polite and sincere. He hadn't meant to zone out, but he hadn't been expecting to find out that the guy who had assured him that he'd be singing lead before he knew it was the same guy he'd be _replacing._ "Singing what?"

"Under Pressure," Wes repeated with a kind smile. "By Queen and David Bowie. We think it'll be the perfect song to use before transitioning into our new style," he explained, sitting down at his chair as Thad began passing out sheet music to the other Warblers.

Blaine was still in shock about Sam being the previous lead singer, and even more confused to why Sam would be so excited about Blaine taking his place, so when Thad walked past and handed him his sheet music he was still on autopilot as he took it from the council member's hand, his eyes not leaving Wes as if the boy was going to suddenly explain everything he wanted answers to.

"I expect you all to look over your individual parts and be ready for our first Warbler rehearsal tomorrow afternoon at three. If there aren't anymore questions then I'd like to call this meeting closed. You're all dismissed," he concluded as his gavel fell down on the sound block.

The room filled with random chatter as the Warblers began filling out of the room, some of them smiling and clapping Blaine on the back in congratulations as they passed. Blaine replied with small, quiet 'thank you's' and polite smiles to each of them until eventually everyone had left and he was left alone with Sam.

He glanced down at the blonde, who was sitting on the couch pretending to look extremely interested in the sheet music he had been given. He noticed that Blaine's eyes were focused on him, and glanced up at his friend with a small, shy-looking smile.

"I didn't think Wes was going to mention that to you," was the first thing he offered as an explanation.

"Oh, I'm not…annoyed or anything," Blaine quickly countered. "Just…confused. You're the lead singer for the Warblers? That's…pretty awesome, Sam. Something I thought you might wanna show off about," he threw in teasingly.

"_Was._ I _was_ the lead singer of the Warblers," Sam corrected, standing up as he grinned at Blaine. "It's all you now, man. Well, it will be after next week when we totally kill this performance together," he smiled, glancing down at his sheet music again before looking up at Blaine, who still looked a bit confused.

"Look, it's not some big interesting story. I just thought you'd be more hesitant about taking over if you thought you'd be kicking me out of my spot or something."

"Well, I sort of am," Blaine reminded him with a guilty looking smile. As much as he wanted to sing lead, he still felt weird now that he knew he was replacing his first real friend at Dalton. "Are you okay with all this? I mean, I don't want you to—"

"Blaine, chill," Sam chuckled. "_I'm_ the one who suggested you for the new lead. I'm sure the council was already considering it since it didn't take much convincing on my part, but I'm the one who told them that you should take over. Hey, we're still on for watching that game, right?" he asked suddenly, referring to the college football Blaine had mentioned before the meeting.

Blaine's eyes widened and he looked at Sam, his jaw dropping in shock. "You…you suggested… So that's how you were so sure of yourself when you…Why?" he asked, giving up on the idea of forming complete sentences as he look on in shock as his friend continued sitting there as if nothing about this was at all strange.

"Blaine," Sam sat up straighter then leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked up at his shorter friend. "You're an awesome person, but when you sing…" He trailed off for a second, smiling to himself as he thought of Blaine's audition. "You just…come to life, you know? I know you're happier here at Dalton, but you look your best and your happiest when you're performing. If anyone should be up there singing lead for the Warblers, it's you. I had fun this year and all that, but I couldn't even get us a win at sectionals. I seriously think that you can take the Warblers places, Blaine."

Blaine's eyes softened and he couldn't _not_ smile as he listened to Sam talk. He had never heard someone sound so…genuine when talking about his singing, and hearing it from Sam meant more than he would ever let on. Singing had been all he had, and he relied on his music for just about everything. "Thank you," was all he could think of in reply, smiling softly as he looked down at Sam.

"So how 'bout that game, huh?" Sam reminded, grinning at how happy he had seemed to make his friend. He stood up and clapped Blaine on the back with one hand, his sheet music in the other as he guided Blaine out of the room and back to his dorm.

If Blaine hadn't already realized it before, he was certainly well aware by now that Sam Evans was just about the greatest friend he could ever ask for.

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A/N: Again, sorry for the long wait! It's been months and I know that's just...unacceptable but I hope this chapter was worth the wait? Maybe? Anyway, I'm really excited for the next few chapters so I promise to update more regularly now. If I don't then you have permission to lock me up in a tower until this fic is finished. XD


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